Insulated frame and connector therefor



Dec. fi, 1966 F. W. HETMAN 3,289,377

INSULATED FRAME AND CONNECTOR THEREFOR Filed Nov. 7, 1962 2 Sheets-$heet1 A T'TOFPNEKS Dec. 6, 1966 F. W. HETMAN INSULATED FRAME AND CONNECTORTHEREFOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 7, 1962 DUNE/R DOOR (OUTER 000RVIIIIIIII I INVENTOR. F/QA /\/K W. HE TMA/V ATTORNEYS Unitd rates atct a7 r A 3,289,377 INSULATED FRAME AND CONNECTOR THEREFOR Frank W. Hetman,Minneapolis, Minn., assignor to Alpana Aluminum Products, Inc,Minneapolis, Minn. Filed Nov. 7, 1362, Ser. No. 236,095 2 Claims. (Cl.52-656) The invention relates to an improvement in window and doorconstruction and more particularly to a combined rigid connection andthermal barrier between inner and outer framing members for windows anddoors.

With the advent of metal frames for windows, the undesirable conditionarose, particularly in the northern climes, in which condensation andice forms on the inside metal frame which under some conditions resultsin frost forming on the inside frame. This is due to the high degree ofconductivity of the metal forming the frames. The frames are connectedby sashes and there is conduction from the outer to the inner. This isalso true where door frames are made of metal. In addition, there is aheat loss due to conduction through the metal from an inner frame to anouter frame.

It is an object of this invention to provide a connection constructionfor an outer and inner frame whereby there is little or no conduction ofheat or cold from the outer to the inner frame.

It is a further object to provide a frame connecting device which locksthe inner and outer frames rigidly together and at the same timeprovides a thermal barrier allowing for free expansion and contractionof parts thereby connected. The present invention provides a minimum ofopposed metal surface of the connected surfaces thereby minimizingradiation of heat from one frame to the other in the area of connection.

It is a still further object to provide an interlocking connector forframe members which lends itself readily to a flexible assortment ofassemblies in windows and doors. The connector also allows movement ofthe joined frame members when exposed to expansion and contraction dueto temperature variance.

It is a further object to provide a method of securing the connector ofvinyl in the frame members by extruding the connector and during theextrusion process stretching the vinyl, then inserting the connectorinto the frame members and heating the same. As a result the vinylconnector assumes its original dimensions and tightens the connection ofthe members.

It is a still further object to provide a connector member foraccomplishing the above without the aid of screws, clips and the likewhich conduct cold and produce condensation.

It will not be here attempted to set forth and indicate all of thevarious objects and advantages incident to the invention, but otherobjects and advantages will be referred to in or else will becomeapparent from that which follows.

The invention will appear more clearly from the following detaileddescription when taken in connection with the acompanying drawings,showing by way of example a preferred embodiment of the inventive ideawherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

In the drawings forming part of this application:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one type of window constructionemploying the invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of a corner of theframe construction shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view of a door jamb employing the invention.

FIGURE 4 is a greatly enlarged perspective View of a length of thethermal barrier connector.

Referring to the drawings in particular, the numeral 10 designates awindow construction which includes an outer frame 12 and an inner frame14 each including a sash and joined together by means of the separatorand connector thermal barrier members 16.

The outer frame 12 includes the outer sash portion 18 and extending fromthe sash 18 at substantially a right angle thereto is the outer lipformation 20. Extending outwardly from the sash portion 18 are thespaced first and second flange portions 22 and 24, respectively, and thesecond flange portion 24 is spaced from the lip 20. The first and secondflange portians 22 and 24 are each formed with the right angular shortlip portions 26 and 28, respectively, at the outer free ends thereof.

The inner frame 14 includes the narrow inner sash portion 30 andextending from the inner sash at substantially a right angle thereto isthe inner lip formation 32. Extending from the inner sash portion 30 atsubstantially a right angle thereto is the inner side wall portion 34.

The numeral 36 designates an inner short flange extending at a rightangle from the wall portion 34. The inner side wall portion 34terminates in a bottom wall portion 37 formed at a right angle thereto.The bottom wall portion 37 terminates in the right angularly disposedouter side wall 38 in spaced opposed relationship to the inner side wall34. The outer side wall 38 terminates in the right angularly disposedouter short flange 40 in spaced opposed relationship to the inner shortflange 36.

The inner short flange 36, the inner side wall 34, the bottom wall 37,the outer side wall 38 and the outer short flange 40 constitute apartial box construction.

As heretofore indicated, the numeral 16 designates the one-pieceseparator and connector thermal barrier and it includes the mainelongated body portion 42 which is substantially rectangular incross-section and formed with the longitudinally extending recess 44together with the lip portion 46 extending from one edge thereof. Thesurfaces of the connector thermal barrier 16 are formed with the fineridges 48 which engage with the inner surfaces of the two frame memberswhich creates a tight fit of the connector thermal barrier 16 with theframe members.

The inner frame member 14 and the outer frame 12 are connected togetherwith a pair of separator and connector thermal barrier members 16, oneof the same be ing located between the inner short flange 36 and thebottom wall portion 37 with the lip portion of the member 16 abuttingthe outer edge of the short flange 36. The short lip portion 26 of theflange portion 22 of frame 12 fits snugly within the recess 44 of themember 16. A second connector thermal barrier member 16 is positionedfor engagement with the short flange 40 and bottom wall 37 and the lipportion 28 within the recess 44 of the member 16. The lip 46 of themember 16 abuts the short flange 40 and is up against the flange portion24. Thus, the flanges 22 and 24 of the outer frame 12 are held withinthe partial box construction formed by the bottom wall 37, the innerside wall portion 34, the outer side wall 38 and the inner short flange36 together with the outer short flange 40.

With the above described construction the inner frame 14 is rigidlyconnected to the outer frame 12 with no metal to metal contact of theframes and with a minimum of opposed metal surfaces which could affordany possible conduction. In addition there is no screw, clip or the liketype of connection which could conduct heat, Further, the connectorthermal barrier member not only connects the frame members and preventsheat conduction, but it allows longitudinal movement of the joined framemembers when exposed to expansion and contraction due to temperaturevariance.

In FIGURE 3 is illustrated how the invention may be applied to the jambof a door framing. The numeral 49 designates a door jamb section whichis connected to the jamb section 50. The jamb section 49 includes theend walls 52 and 54 and the side walls 56 and 58. The jamb section 50includes the end wall 60, the intermediate wall 62', the side walls 62and 64 together with the inner short flange 66 formed at a right angleto the side wall 64 and the outer short flange 68. The intermediate wall62 together with a portion of the side walls 62 and 64 and the inner andouter short flanges 66 and 68, respectively, form a partial boxconstruction. The jamb section 49 further includes the spaced flangeportions 70 and 72 secured to and extending from the end wall 52. Theflange portions 70 and 72 are also spaced from the walls 56 and 58,respectively, and the flange 70 is formed with the outwardly turnedshort lip portion 74 while the flange 72 is formed with the outwardlyturned short lip portion 76.

The lips 74 and 76 are interlocked in spaced relation with the shortflanges 66 and 68, respectively, by means of the connector thermalbarrier members 16 in the same manner as the lips 26 and 28 areinterlocked in spaced relation with the inner short flange 36 and theouter short flange 40, respectively. As a result of the aboveconstruction the door jamb sections 49 and 50 are rigidly joinedtogether with no metal to metal contact and with a minimum of opposedmetal surfaces which could afford possible conduction. The frameconstruction and the connector thermal barrier members 16 not onlyconnect the jamb sections and prevent cold conduction and resultantcondensation, but it allows movement of the joined sections when exposedto expansion and contraction due to temperature variance. This is ofspecial importance where the frame is of the split type as herein shown.

The thermal barrier connector member 16 may be formed of extruded vinylplastic or other insulating material and streatched during the processof extrusion. Then, after the barrier-connector 16 is in place in theframe members as described, it is heated and as a result thebarrier-connector 16 is caused to assume its larger original dimensionsthereby producing an extremely tight connection of the members.

The invention is not be understood as restricted to the details setforth since these may be modified within the scope of the appendedclaims without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a window construction, an inner pane-carrying frame member, anouter pane-carrying frame member, said inner frame member having abottom wall, an inner side wall connected to said bottom wall, an outerside wall connected to said bottom wall, an inner short flange extendinginwardly from said inner side Wall, an inner sash connected to saidinner side wall, an outer short flange extending inwardly from saidouter side wall, said outer pane-carrying frame member having an outersash portion, a first flange extending from said outer sash portion, asecond flange extending from said outer sash portion spaced from saidfirst flange, each of said first and second flange portions having a lipportion extending therefrom, first and second thermal barrier-connectormembers each including an elongated body member having a recess formedlongitudinally therein and a lip extending therefrom, and longitudinallythereof, said first thermal barrierconnector member positioned withinsaid inner short flange and said bottom wall of said inner frame withsaid lip of said first flange of said outer sash extending into saidrecess of said first thermal barrier-connector, said lip of said firstthermal barrier-connector member positioned adjacent said inner shortflange of said inner frame and said first flange of said outer frame,said second thermal barrier-connector member positioned within saidouter short flange and said bottom wall of said inner frame with saidlip portion of said second flange of said outer sash extending into saidrecess of said second thermal barrierconnector member, said lip of saidsecond thermal barrier-connector member positioned adjacent said outershort flange of said inner frame and said second flange of said outerframe to thereby rigidly connect said inner frame member with said outerframe member with a minimum of heat conduction therebetween.

2. In a framing construction forwindows, an inner pane-carrying framemember, an outer pane-carrying frame member, said inner frame memberhaving a bottom wall, an inner side wall connected to said bottom wall,an outer side wall connected to said bottom wall, an inner short flangeextending inwardly from said inner side wall, an inner sash connected tosaid inner side wall, an outer short flange extending inwardly from saidouter side wall, said outer pane-carrying frame member having an outersash portion, a first flange extending from said outer sash portion, asecond flange extending from said outer sash portion spaced from saidfirst flange, each of said first and second flange portions having a lipportion extending therefrom, first and second thermal barrier-connectormembers, each including an elongated body member having a recess formedlongitudinally therein, said first thermal barrier-connector memberpositioned within said inner short flange and said bottom wall of saidinner frame, with said lip of said first flange of said outer sashextending into said recess of said first thermal barrierconnector, saidsecond thermal barrier-connector member positioned within said outershort flange and said bottom wall of said inner frame with said lipportion of said second flange of said outer sash extending into saidrecess of said second thermal barrier-connector member, to therebyrigidly connect said inner frame member with said outer frame memberwith a minimum of heat conduction therebetween.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,928,144 3/1960Persson 2056.5 3,055,468 9/1962 Horejs et a1. 189-75 3,099,337 7/1963Hetman 18975 FOREIGN PATENTS 598,800 5/1960 Canada. 1,086,875 8/1960Germany.

768,499 2/1957 Great Britain.

804,258 11/1958 Great Britain.

839,036 6/1960 Great Britain.

HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner. W. E, HEATON, Assistant Examiner.

2. IN A FRAMING CONSTRUCTION FOR WINDOWS, AN INNER PANE-CARRYING FRAMEMEMBER, AN OUTER PANE-CARRYING FRAME MEMBER, SAID INNER FRAME MEMBERHAVING A BOTTOM WALL, AN INNER SIDE WALL CONNECTGED TO SAID BOTTOM WALL,AN OUTER SIDE WALL CONNECTED TO SAID BOTTOM WALL, AN INNER SHORT FLANGEEXTENDING INWARDLY FROM SAID INNER SIDE WALL, AN INNER SASH CONNECTED TOSAID INNER SIDE WALL, AN OUTER SHORT FLANGE EXTENDING INWARDLY FROM SAIDOUTER SIDE WALL, SAID OUTER PANE-CARRYING FRAME MEMBER HAVING AN OUTERSASH PORTION, A FRIST FLANGE EXTENDING FROM SAID OUTER SASH PORTION, ASECOND FLANGE EXTENDING FROM SAID OUTER SASH PORTION SPACED FROM SAIDFIRST FLANGE, EACH OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND FLANGE PORTIONS HAVING A LIPPORTION EXTENDING THEREFROM, FIRST AND SECOND THERMAL BARRIER-CONNECTORMEMBERS, EACH INCLUDING AN ELONGATED BODY MEMBER HAVING A RECESS FORMEDLONGITUDINALLY THEREIN, SAID FIRST THERMAL BARRIER-CONNECTOR MEMBERPOSITIONED WITHIN SAID INNER SHORT FLANGE AND SAID BOTTOM WALL OF SAIDINNER FRAME, WITH SAID LIP OF SAID FIRST FLANGE OF SAID OUTER SASHEXTENDING INTO SAID RECESS OF SAID FIRST THERMAL BARRIERCONNECTOR, SAIDSECOND THERMAL BARRIER-CONNECTOR MEMBER POSITIONED WITHIN SAID OUTERSHORT FLANGE AND SAID BOTTOM WALL OF SAID INNER FRAME WITH SAID LIPPORTION OF SAID SECOND FLANGE OF SAID OUTER SASH EXTENDING INTO SAIDRECESS OF SAID SECOND THERMAL BARRIER-CONNECTOR MEMBER, TO THEREBYRIGIDLY CONNECT SAID INNER FRAME MEMBER WITH SAID OUTER FRAME MEMBERWITH A MINIMUM OF HEAT CONDUCTION THEREBETWEEN.